Hike from Setúbal to São Luís peak. Subida da Vigia. Portugal

Distance 11 km (gpx), Elevation gain 492 m, Elevation loss 492 m

The Roman road, now called Via Antiga do Viso, used to connect Olissipo (Lisbon) to Cetóbriga (Setúbal). From here the calçada romana continued to Ébora (Évora) heading to the important city of Emérita Augusta (Mérida, in Spain). Our hike to São Luís from Setúbal began with a 300-meter stroll down smooth rocks where horses used to pull wooden chariots 2000 years ago. Spring had already arrived, and tiny wild iris flowers sprinkled violet color between the stones.

We crossed to the other side of the EN10 national road, turned left just before the BP gas station and hiked up to what seemed to be an abandoned mine. There you can freely enter the gate and follow the dirt path called Subida da Vigia all the way to the top of the hill (altitude 392 meters). The ascent is quite pleasant and gentle. The higher you get, every turn opens up clear views of Serra do Louro in Palmela or the sandbank of Troia. A scent of blossom and buzzing of bumblebees fully immerse you in spring.

On the peak we met a couple who climbed up a narrow steep trail that starts from Capela de São Luís. They were exhausted and out of breath. They said that the effort was “almost” worth the view and talked us off trying to crawl down that dangerous path.

We discovered that we could continue to the edge of the lookout along a hardly visible path through the bushes. It took us to an impressive viewpoint over the evergreen forests of Arrábida and the blue waters of the Atlantic. We barely had time to enjoy the silence before a group of cheerful middle-aged Portuguese day hikers emerged from the other side of the slope. Their guide advised us to climb down the same way they walked up. We were in no rush to go down, and stayed for a while on the edge taking in the magnificent view.

I wish we didn’t take that guy’s advice seriously though. The descent along a narrow track was brutal: steep, slippery and sandy. I hardly managed it with two trekking poles. We would definitely prefer to climb it up than down. Having furrowed enough red soil with our boots, sweating and cursing, we ended up on a wider path, which led us back to the road. From there we crossed to the village of Grelhal and finished our hike on the warm stones of the calçada romana.